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Councillor in court this morning

ActionSA asked that the councillor’s bail be denied.

May 12, 2023
Zita Goldswain 3 minutes read

The councillor from Ga-Nala, who is facing charges of allegedly attempting to rape a 12-year-old girl, will appear in Kriel Magistrate’s Court this morning (May 12).

 

The councillor was arrested on May 5 after he allegedly tried to rape the minor. 

 

“The incident allegedly occurred after the councillor visited a friend’s home and made inappropriate sexual comments about the 12-year-old,” said Mpumalanga Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

 

Mohlala said the two friends left for a tavern and the councillor ‘slipped’ out without his friend’s knowledge and went back to the house where the minor and her sister were sleeping. 

 

“The girl’s mother had reportedly gone to work and the girl and her 26-year-old sister are said to have been temporarily left to stay with their uncle, who is the councillor’s friend,” said Mohlala. 

 

“At about 23:30, the elder sister alleged that she heard somebody breaking into the house. She further alleges that the person tried to open her bedroom door which was fortunately locked. She then immediately called a friend and requested him to alert the police.”

 

Mohlala said the man allegedly assaulted the teenage girl and tried to rape her. Whilst still in a state of shock, the elder sister reportedly heard her younger sister calling for her uncle to rescue her. 

 

The report further states that the intruder responded by saying that the uncle was not in the house. At that moment, the police fortunately arrived and the intruder reportedly escaped through the window, leaving behind his T-shirt as well as his cellphone. 

 

Police went after the suspect and caught him and according to the report, the man was wearing a pair of blue jeans as well as brown shoes without a top when he was cornered. He was charged accordingly. 

 

The African National Congress (ANC) regional secretary Sello Matshoga condemned this behaviour and called this a barbaric and callous act by a leader who was supposed to have been the protector of the minor girl child.

 

 

“The alleged attempted rape happens at a time when the organisation is fighting the demon of Gender-Based Violence against women and children. As a public representative, a councillor should be an embodiment of the values that inspire hope among the people. We regret as an organisation the alleged unethical conduct by our councillor,” Matshoga said.

 

On the back of the scolding from the ANC, ActionSA called on the courts to deny bail application for the ANC councillor.

 

“ActionSA calls on the court not to grant his application because he will intimidate the victim’s family and he is a popular ANC member and a public figure in the community,” said Thoko Mashiane, ActionSA Mpumalanga provincial chairperson.

Rape in South Africa is systemic and endemic.

 

The country’s annual police crime statistics confirm this. 

 

There were 42 289 rapes reported in 2019/20, as well as 7 749 sexual assaults in the same year. This translates to about 115 rapes a day.

 

South Africa has one of the highest rape statistics in the world, even higher than some countries at war.

About 150 women report being raped to police in South Africa daily. 

 

“Fewer than 30 cases will be prosecuted, and no more than ten will result in a conviction. This translates to an overall conviction rate of 4% – 8% of reported cases, which is a shame. When nine out of ten reported cases are not prosecuted (and two out of three are not even referred to the prosecutor for a determination), we are faced with a massive systemic failure that needs to be addressed. When the numbers are as substantial as in South Africa, the problem becomes urgent,” said Mashiane.

 

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May 12, 2023
Zita Goldswain 3 minutes read
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